OPUS Mag

Oct 15 My Favorite DFS Plays For NFL Week 6

I can’t wait to start quarterbacks against the Jets this season. They are giving up 302 passing yards a game, and an eye popping 9.2 YPA. The secondary is in ruins, the linebackers can’t cover anyone and Palmer is averaging 38 pass attempts a game. He’s going to do whatever he wants with the Jets.

Drew Brees – QB – New Orleans Saints (FD$8500/DK$7900)

I don’t really need to give much here to explain why I would start Drew Brees at home. Despite that let’s look at the fact that the Panthers gave up 500+ passing yards to the Falcons two weeks ago. The Panthers pass defense has been suspect all season and I don’t see that changing here in the dome.

Marcus Mariota – QB – Tennessee Titans (FD$7600/DK$6100)

Cleveland has already allowed 13 touchdowns and multiple touchdowns in every game this season. They don’t rush the passer and allow almost 300 passing yards per game. I will never be excited about playing Marcus Mariota because of the bullshit surrounding him but I’ll play anybody but Ryan Fitzpatrick against the Browns.

Matthew Stafford – QB – Detroit Lions (FD$8000/DK$6200)

Two things with Stafford are: 1. Is anyone on the Rams DL healthy? & 2. Is anyone in his backfield healthy? The answer to both might be no and that’s why I’m suggesting you start him.

LeSean McCoy– RB – Buffalo (FD$8200/DK$6900)

There isn’t a back I like more than LeSean McCoy this week. He’s the lead(only) dog in Buffalo’s backfield. He’s averaged 127 yards per game in his last three contests and the Niners give up 5 YPC to enemy runningbacks. Everything points to a huge afternoon for Mr. McCoy.

Jamaal Charles – RB - Kansas CityChiefs(FD$7100/DK$5100)

This is strictly a tournament play as this is a complete dart throw. The coaching staff spoke of “sprinkling him in” which isn’t exactly what you want to hear about a guy coming off an ACL tear. The Raiders are last in passing yards and rushing yards allowed. This game has the potential to feature a lot of points, and Charles is an attractive wildcard under those circumstances.

Todd Gurley – RB – Los Angeles Rams (FD$7900/DK$6700)

The Lions are #28 in run defense DVOA and have given up a ghastly 5.2 YPC to opposing RBs on the season. Todd Gurley’s volume is something you can swear by, and I think there’s a decent chance he goes for 120 yards and a touchdown this week. And a struggling Lions defense also lost Haloti Ngata to injury.

Ryan Mathews – RB – Philadelphia Eagles (FD$6500/DK$4900)

The Skins have allowed 100-plus rushing yards in each of their first five games and a 5.3 YPC to opposing backs. Mathews had 75 yards and a touchdown last week, and I think he’s a decent bet to top that this week.

Kelvin Benjamin– WR – Carolina Panthers (FD$7800/DK$8100)

They’re playing the Saints in the dome and Benjamin has had four straight pretty slow weeks. With Newton back and the Panthers desperately needing a win, I expect Benjamin to have a big game against New Orleans band of misfits at CB.

Amari Cooper– WR – Oakland Raiders (FD$7100/$7500)

It feels like Cooper gets a touchdown taken from him every week and thus you’re always looking for more from him. Despite that, he did finally break out last week with 138 yards and a touchdown. He won’t see Marcus Cooper who will primarily do battle with Michael Crabtree and his price/ceiling combo is hard to match.

Jeremy Maclin – WR – Kansas City Chiefs (FD$6900/DK$6300

As mentioned earlier, the Raiders are last in football in passing yards allowed. Maclin is hard to play because it’s so frustrating to watch Alex Smith ignore him past 10 yards but he did have 12 catches for 149 yards and three touchdowns in two contests against Oakland last season. As is the consistent theme throughout this piece, Chiefs/Raiders is a game I will be targeting heavily.

Doug Baldwin – WR– Seattle Seahawks (FD$7600/DK$6500)

Atlanta has allowed more touchdown passes than anybody and will have an overwhelmed rookie trying to check Doug Baldwin in a game in Seattle. In his last seven home games, Baldwin has 48 catches for 758 yards and nine touchdowns. It wouldn’t be surprising if he finished as a top 10 play this week. Him and Wilson are going to give Atlanta hell.

Odell Beckham– WR– New York Giants (FD$8300/DK$8800)

His QB is struggling and the team overall is struggling. I did call him the squeaky wheel last week and he had 5-56-1. That’s not what I expected from him. He did get targeted 12 times and now he gets to face off with the Ravens who boast two pretty meh CBs and a great run defense. Beckham should get another 10+ targets and hopefully the explosion we’ve been waiting weeks for comes on Sunday.

Travis Kelce– TE – Kansas City (FD$6400/DK$5000)

Oakland stops nobody. Travis Kelce works within the range that Alex Smith likes to throw the ball and is currently on pace for 88 catches, 880 yards and eight touchdowns.

Simply put: Kelce is too cheap in this spot. He ranks narrowly behind the likes of Greg Olsen and Rob Gronkowski, yet the price is nearly $2000 cheaper. This Chiefs-Raiders game has some sneaky shootout potential, as Oakland carries a pass-heavy offense coupled with a struggling defense that ranks dead last against the pass.

Jimmy Graham – TE– Seattle Seahawks (FD$6400/DK$5000)

It’s shocking that Graham is back from his brutal injury and playing this well but here we are. The Falcons have given up the second most fantasy points to tight ends and Graham has 12 for 213 and a touchdown in his last two contests. Outside of Virgil Green, the Falcons have consistently made opposing tight ends look great and I don’t see that stopping Sunday.

Zach Ertz – TE– Philadelphia Eagles (FD$5400/$4000)

Ertz wasn’t anything to write home about in his return to the lineup last week, but sees a favorable matchup against a Washington team that has allowed 35 catches to tight ends this season (3rd most in the NFL). I’m leery of NFC East games because they have a tendency to be unpredictable but at tight end it’s slim pickings and you have to play somebody.

Defenses

Arizona Cardinals - They’re playing against Ryan Fitzpatrick.

New England Patriots- In a game where Cincinnati should be behind, they might hand NE the ball a couple of times.

A New York based writer who's particularly fond of slightly inappropriate jokes, listening to 'Knuck If You Buck' on loop, and bringing smiles to various faces. The Mercy College graduate is well versed in most sports and dabbles occasionally in various other areas like music and politics. His interests include Eric Decker touchdowns, anything involving Kristaps Porzingis, good jokes, great pizza and peacefully walking around NYC on Saturday nights looking for a spot to invade.

A New York based writer who's particularly fond of slightly inappropriate jokes, listening to 'Knuck If You Buck' on loop, and bringing smiles to various faces. The Mercy College graduate is well versed in most sports and dabbles occasionally in various other areas like music and politics. His interests include Eric Decker touchdowns, anything involving Kristaps Porzingis, good jokes, great pizza and peacefully walking around NYC on Saturday nights looking for a spot to invade.

Coeur Noir is an autofiction novel written by Al Patron. The title is Haitian Creole for black heart or heart of black, in reference to the traits of the main protagonist, Nikolas Daniel...who may or may not be based on Al Patron himself. A coming of age novel Coeur Noir will evoke emotional reactions ranging from but not limited to crying & laughter, all while detailing a path to greatness for Al Pa...pardon...Nikolas Daniel.